Across the nation

Posted: September 21, 2012 - 11:47pm

BOSTON

A Harvard University journal says it hasn’t fully verified research that purportedly shows some early Christians believed Jesus had a wife, even though Harvard’s divinity school touted the research during a publicity blitz this week.

The research centers on a fourth-century papyrus fragment containing Coptic text in which Jesus uses the words “my wife.” On Tuesday, Harvard Divinity School professor Karen King announced at an international conference that the fragment was the only existing ancient text in which Jesus explicitly talks of having a wife.

Harvard also said King’s research was scheduled to be published in the Harvard Theological Review in January and noted the journal was peer-reviewed, which implied the research had been fully vetted.

An apparent electrical fire forced the detour on the flight from Omaha, Neb., to Los Angeles, campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said. The candidate and his wife spoke immediately after the incident, said Saul, who shared photographs on Twitter of firefighters boarding the private jet.

Secret Service spokesman Max Milien in Washington said there were no injuries on the plane and everyone deplaned after the 2:25 p.m. local time landing. He declined to provide other details.

MILWAUKEE

Two 13-year-old Wisconsin boys were ordered held on $1 million bond Friday after being accused of using a hatchet and hammer to kill one boy’s great-grandmother while stealing jewelry and a car from her home.

Prosecutors allege the boys, both charged as adults, went to 78-year-old Barbara J. Olson’s home Monday with the intent to rob and kill her. Authorities said her body was discovered in the garage, in a pool of blood, two days later by her daughter.

The boys appeared in Sheboygan County Court on Friday, where they’re charged with being party to the crime of first-degree intentional homicide.

SEATTLE

A Seattle couple who collected welfare while living in a $1.2 million waterfront home are headed to prison.

A federal judge sentenced chiropractor David Silverstein and his longtime partner, Lyudmila Shimonova, to 18 months in prison Friday. Silverstein also must pay a criminal fine of $30,000, even though he’s already paid $334,000 in restitution and civil penalties.

Shimonova was ordered to pay $261,000 in restitution.

DENVER

The mediator who oversaw compensation for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks will oversee the distribution of money donated to the victims of the deadly shooting at a suburban Denver movie theater, Gov. John Hickenlooper said Friday.

Twelve people were killed and 58 injured in the July 20 attack in Aurora during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Hickenlooper said Friday that Kenneth Feinberg won’t be paid in his role as a special master overseeing the distribution of donations. Feinberg is taking the role “as a patriot in the purest way,” the governor said.